How to Refinish Metal Cabinet Knobs

From dated to modern.

Every Realtor says that what sells a house is the condition of its kitchen and baths. They might be right, but for a lot of people the cost of remodeling these rooms is simply too much. As any home improvement person will tell you, the cost of paint is cheap and it can make a big impact. With a can of spray paint and a little work your outdated metal cabinet knobs can take on a whole new look. The objective is to make your room look as spotless and updated as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Spray paint (Rust-oleum Hammered, no primer needed)
• Sandpaper for metal (medium emery)
• Screwdriver
• Tape
• Cardboard scrap
• Dishwashing soap and water

Instructions

1. 

   Remove your existing metal cabinet hardware. If your knobs have been in place a few years they are probably dirty. Give them a good scrub using a brush if necessary in any crevices. Scrape off any paint residues if your cabinets were painted with the knobs on.

2. 

   Using emery sandpaper, sand down the shine a bit, just enough for the paint to grab well.

3. 

   Make a few holes in your scrap cardboard and mount your hardware to the cardboard being sure to space them out enough for your paint to reach all sides.

4. 

   Mount any screws that are visible from the face of your cabinet door. Tape off any ceramic, glass or plastic bits that you don't want to paint. Place your cardboard in a well-ventilated area and after shaking your paint to mix it, spray your knobs and handles.

5. Use paints like Rust-oleum Hammered Series that are designed for metal and that don't require priming. Spray light coats and be prepared to spray the hardware two or three times at different angles to achieve good coverage.

6. Allow your hardware to dry thoroughly. Then remount your hardware on your cleaned up cabinets.

Tips & Warnings

• If your cabinet hinges are exposed, remove and paint those too. Select paint colors that match new light fixtures or other metal trims in the room. Some kitchens will have as many as 80 pieces of hardware. When mounting large numbers of hardware pieces to cardboard, leave sufficient space to be able to paint all sides of the hardware by rotating the cardboard.

• Some metal cabinet hardware has finishes that won't accept paint easily or perhaps your hardware has been sloppily painted over. There are chemical strippers that will help prepare metal for refinishing and they may be worth your while if you have a lot of knobs to finish and if they are each needing a lot of attention. Strippers are often caustic so take precautions to prepare your hardware in a safe way and in a well ventilated space away from children and animals.

References

• Strip Paint From Hardware
• Rust-oleum